What you will be doing
You will oversee day-to-day management of the PSAR program as well as establishing and implementing a long-term strategic vision to further build the program, integrate salmon recovery and Puget Sound ecosystem recovery systems, and support the recovery of Puget Sound. This requires close collaboration with programs within the agency and with local and regional partners, clear communication on the program’s values with partners and legislators, and evaluating and reporting on the effectiveness of the investments. The abilities to value others and their lived experiences, promote brave spaces for learning, and strive for equity and justice are essential.

Who we are looking for
You’re a humble leader who is enthusiastic about relationships, collective efforts, and feels comfortable contributing input for better outcomes. You follow through on commitments and take personal responsibility for decisions, actions and mistakes. Working cooperatively with others across the agency and with external partners to achieve shared objectives is your passion. As an effective communicator in a variety of settings, you’re skilled at adjusting the message to fit the audience while inviting different perspectives to the conversation. You anticipate future needs, act accordingly and formulate a clear strategy that accelerates the agency toward its strategic goal.

Duties

Program Management 

•  With the Salmon Recovery Manager, the Director of Policy and Planning, and Boards Team, lead development and implementation of a long-term strategic plan for a sustainable program, working internally and with key partners
• Lead development, negotiation, and implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO, co-manager of the program)
• Adaptively manage an authority matrix that defines the roles of the Salmon Recovery Funding Board, the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), Partnership, the Puget Sound Leadership Council and the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council (PSSRC) for all aspects of the PSAR program
• Report on program progress through annual reporting to RCO and periodic reporting to Partnership management and the PSSRC
• Develop, revise, and communicate PSAR program policies, including coordination of internal and external reviews
• With RCO, track available funding and make decisions on allocating return funds
• In coordination with the PSSRC, lead development of the PSAR Large Capital program, including revisions to the Request for Proposals and creating a process for evaluation and ranking of projects
• Work with the Integrated Planning Program to identify and execute on opportunities to integrate the PSAR program within the Puget Sound recovery framework
• Work with the Science and Evaluation Team to evaluate the program on a biannual timeline to identify improvements and efficiencies
• Provide support to the Salmon Recovery Manager on coordinating and analyzing regional and watershed reporting as it relates to the PSAR program (e.g. Four Year Workplans, annual regional report).
• Provide input into the overall direction of salmon recovery planning, including adaptive management of the regional recovery plan, integration of salmon recovery with Puget Sound ecosystem recovery, and coordination and engagement of appropriate advisory groups
• Work with the Salmon Recovery Manager to identify opportunities and execute programs to increase the visibility of the PSAR Program

Education and Communication 

• Act as point of contact for internal and external inquiries about the program
• Maintain monthly communication with RCO
• Work with the Partnership’s Communications Lead and Legislative Policy Director to refine and execute a communication and outreach strategy, including reporting on program effectiveness
• Work with the Partnership’s Communications Lead and Legislative Director to develop communication materials during the legislative session
• Develop memorandums on policies and present recommendations to appropriate Partnership boards and advisory bodies as needed, including the PSSRC and Leadership Council
• Act as the point of contact for lead entities and project sponsors, including communication of policies, incorporating feedback and responding to inquiries
• Support development of and participate in PSAR project ground-breaking events and legislative tours
• Advance communication and awareness opportunities through web presence, signage, media, etc.

Partner Coordination and Engagement

•  Work with lead entities and project sponsors to identify and secure other funding sources to fully fund projects on the Large Capital List
• Work with the Partnership Boards Team, the PSSRC, and salmon recovery lead entities to maintain the salmon recovery Legacy Project Portfolio to help bring in new federal, state, and private funding for large-scale salmon recovery projects
• With the Salmon Recovery Manager, coordinate with other capital funding programs in Puget Sound such as the Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program, Puget Sound Nearshore and Estuary Program, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Restoration Center and Floodplains by Design
• Coordinate project sponsor briefings to policy bodies on the status of large capital project implementation
• Work with Puget Sound lead entities to assist with improvements in the local process for identifying local projects for PSAR funding
• Support the Salmon Recovery Manager with the Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) process, the SRFB Targeted Investment Process, and annual regional report submission

Qualifications

Success in this position requires that one be a team player, which is defined as possessing initiative and a driving passion for the work, having humility and practicing curiosity in interactions with others, and valuing the whole human in each of us.  

We are committed to achieving our mission of accelerating and advancing the recovery of Puget Sound. To ensure our success, we are equally committed to running our agency in a high-performance manner that focuses on high-quality products and processes and a collaborative approach. We achieve high performance by:

• Valuing one another, our diversity, and our contribution to the agency and the mission
• Embracing shared leadership, and empowering all staff, as critical thinkers, to make timely evidence-based decisions in a collaborative manner
• Promoting learning–and implementing what we learn–by using the adaptive management cycle for both programs and internal operations
• Optimizing our human and financial resources

Required Experience, Competencies and Technical Skills:

• Six (6) years of professional experience in an environmental science and/or natural resource management-related field
• Experience managing a grant program and program budgets
• Experience in managing contracts, monitoring and tracking progress
• Experience working with local jurisdictions and tribes
• Experience with adaptive management (continuous improvement) and natural resource planning
• Familiarity with the state legislative process
• Knowledge of federal, state, and regional funding programs and annual/biennial funding cycles
• Knowledge of Endangered Species Act recovery planning
• Careful attention and accuracy when working with complex financial information
• Detail-oriented in policy development and execution
• Strategic thinker with the ability to set a long-term vision for the program and support execution of the vision

Preferred:

• Master’s degree in natural resource management or related field and two years of professional experience or a bachelor’s degree and four years of professional experience
• Knowledge of ecology and population biology of salmonids
• Experience in Open Standards or natural resource monitoring
• General understanding of market-based funding mechanisms, such as in-lieu fee and other conservation banking
• Knowledge of the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Plan
• A general understanding of roles and the interrelationships between local, county, regional, tribal, state and federal entities
• Familiarity with/knowledge of ecosystem-based management

CONDITIONS OF THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
With or without an accommodation, I am willing and able to:

• Work indoors, at a desk/workstation the majority of a workday, in an open office environment with possible conversation and other noise distractions at least once a week
• Work indoors, at a desk/workstation the majority of a workday in a home-based environment up to four days a week
• Work in a tobacco-free, drug-free, and alcohol-free environment
• Work a 40-hour work week (A flexible work schedule may be considered upon request and supervisory approval, after an initial review period)
• Work in a fast-paced environment with multiple priorities and competing deadlines
• Maintain confidentiality regarding information accessed or discussed while performing the duties of the position
• Interact and work with partners and staff in a positive, friendly, and supportive manner that meets the needs and standards of the office and the agency